As a kid, you probably watched cartoons where the characters are fishing and they tie a worm to the end of their fishing line, let it fly into a body of water and land a fish. In reality, we wish fishing with live baits was that simple. However, live saltwater fishing baits are more than just worms; all fish are different, from their size up to their diet. If you find yourself feeling confused about types of baits, then we are here to hook you up with this guide to using saltwater fishing bait. Stick around as the information here may bring you great results.

Live VS Artificial Baits

You may already know that there are two types of baits – the live ones and the artificial ones. Each type has its own pros and cons. So, it will be of huge benefit if you know when to use either type.

Live baits have been the bait of choice for centuries because, well, anglers didn’t have many options back in the day. But even though artificial baits are being used by many anglers, the use of live bait is still popular. The advantage of using live bait is that it’s more alluring and the fish tend to bite harder on live baits. The downside is that live bait can only be used once and can be very difficult to obtain.

Artificial baits, on the other hand, are just as equally as effective as live baits. If you have a hard time acquiring live ones, you can always have the artificial ones as your go-to bait. Anglers like this type of bait because it’s not as messy and that it can be kept for a very long time. However, artificial lures, especially the best ones, can sometimes put a hole in your pockets.

But for this article, we will focus on live saltwater fishing bait.

Use Bait Fish When…

If you want to increase your chance of scoring a saltwater game fish, then we recommend saltwater bait fish such as sardines, herring and mullet to name a few. What’s good about bait fish is that you can also use them as cut bait, they can be just as effective because of their scent factor. You can turn them to fillets, sections or strips. Use bait fish when you want to attract snappers, groupers and tunas.

Use Sea Worms When…

Though not as popular amongst anglers, sea worms can also be used as a saltwater fishing bait. One  advantage of using this type of bait is that they are readily found at bait shops and they are often available as live or preserved. Sea worms like lugworms and sandworms are very effective when you want to catch striped bass, halibut or mackerel.

Use Shellfish or Crustaceans When…

Many game fish are attracted to crustaceans and shellfish. Because of their hardened exterior, they require a bit of work to use – but what they lack in convenience they make up for in effectiveness. Crustaceans like crab and prawns/shrimp can be hooked by strongly piercing the hook inside the shell. As for the shellfish like clams and mussels, you can either crush the shell (for those that have softer shells) or open them up and take the meat away from the shell.

Use Squid and Octopus When…

As pro anglers would agree, squid and octopus are a perfect choice for those who want to catch amberjacks, croakers, and bluefish. These baits are also good for bottom fishing and trolling. When using squid, you can easily place them on a hook. But when using octopus or large-variety squid, you can chop them into chunks.